Nicola Sturgeon coronavirus update LIVE as 'cautious' route out of lockdown announced

Nicola Sturgeon on March 2, the day before she appeared before the inquiry investigating the handling of harassment complaints against former first minister Alex Salmond.On BBC Scotland's Sunday Show, Andrea Bradley, the assistant secretary of the EIS teaching union, said the Scottish Government was looking for a "good news story that week".However, Ms Sturgeon had previously announced the earliest date for some pupils to return to school would be March 15.On Monday, Education Secretary John

school on February 22.Senior secondary school pupils required to attend for practical work for qualifications were able to return from the same date.Now, all high school students will be able head back to the classroom part-time, as part of a blended learning model meaning they will continue to do some learning at home until after the Easter break.Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the plans in a speech to MSPs on March 2 and has repeatedly stressed that having pupils return to school is her lockdown

school on February 22.Senior secondary school pupils required to attend for practical work for qualifications were able to return from the same date.Now, all high school students will be able head back to the classroom part-time, as part of a blended learning model meaning they will continue to do some learning at home until after the Easter break.Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the plans in a speech to MSPs on March 2 and has repeatedly stressed that having pupils return to school is her lockdown

Dunblane massacre will be 'forever in our hearts' as Scotland remembers the tragedy 25 years on.The First Minister took to twitter to call the day 'one of the darkest and most heartbreaking in Scotland’s history'.On March 13, 1996, crazed gunman Thomas Hamilton murdered 16 primary school children and their teacher in Dunblane, sending shockwaves of grief around the world.Hamilton then took his own life.The murder spree remains Britain's deadliest mass shootings and lead to large-scale reforms on

Scottish Parliament  the continued fall in coronavirus cases is giving grounds for "cautious optimism". The  First Minster  told MSPs that primary children will return to school next week as planned along with more senior secondary pupils.

Prestwick, South Ayrshire, gave her doting dad Jamie a dressing down over 'not washing his hands' this week.The tot's lecture was caught on camera as management consultant Jamie joked his daughter could apply to be one of the National Clinical Director Jason Leitch's understudies.Jamie, 41, wrote on social media: "Nicola Sturgeon, heard about Jason Leitch recruiting for understudies."Please find enclosed another candidate application."Little Rosie donned her bright pink stethoscope before

Scottish Government’s  £500 bonus to NHS workers like porters, catering staff and cleaners. The government announced in December that all  health  and social care staff would receive the bonus as a thank-you for their hard work during the pandemic.

First Minister is taking questions from MSPs on the coronavirus committee at Holyrood.Nicola Sturgeon is being quizzed on her handling of the pandemic and how Scotland will exit lockdown in the next couple of weeks and months.MSPs will ask Nicola Sturgeon, and Dr Gregor Smith, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, a number of questions on the pandemic.The meeting will take place virtually and can be viewed on the Scottish Government website.

outdoor meetings could be announced by Nicola Sturgeon in her latest coronavirus update this afternoon.The First Minister is due to give a statement to MSPs in the Scottish Parliament around 2.20pm today.She has already indicated a change in the rules on outdoor meetings - which at the moment only allow for two people from two different households to get together - could be coming.On Friday, Sturgeon indicated "good progress" with the vaccination programme and the falling number of infections

Scottish Parliament on the coronavirus situation across the country.

eased this week as a result of the drop in cases.Yesterday, no new coronavirus deaths were announced.Although, figures tend to be lower at weekends, coronavirus cases have continued to drop in recent weeks, with the test positivity rate having now been below 5% for 13 days in a row.The 5% figure is used by the World Health Organisation to determine if the pandemic is under control.On Friday Sturgeon said: "I'm hopeful that next week we might be able to make some relatively minor, but I think

First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament it was revealed that 500 people had tested positive for the deadly virus in the same time period.There are currently 726 people in hospital while there are 69 patients in intensive care units across the country.Throughout FMQs Sturgeon was quizzed about her appearance at the Alex Salmond harassment committee yesterday.She was also asked about the Budget and how it will hit Scotland.As a result, Scotland is due £1.2 billion in Barnett

First Minister  said there was "good evidence" the national vaccination programme was already reducing the number of deaths from the virus across the country. And the SNP leader revealed the average number of covid cases being reported each day in Scotland had dropped to 657 - the lowest rate since October.

First Minister said there was "good evidence" the national vaccination programme was already reducing the number of deaths from the virus across the country.And the SNP leader revealed the average number of covid cases being reported each day in Scotland had dropped to 657 - the lowest rate since October.It means all primary school pupils will be able to return to class as of March 15 - with high schools reopening full-time after the Easter break.Sturgeon added that a further review of easing

coronavirus case number in all local authority areas in Scotland has been published by health officials.Public Health Scotland said that in the week between February 15 and 21, Scotland recorded a total of 5,736 positive cases of Covid-19 - which represents 5.0% of people tested for the virus.Scotland’s seven-day positivity rate per 100,000 population in those seven days stood at 105.0, according to the latest data.Falkirk recorded the highest number of cases per 100,000 population during this

latest plan to ease restrictions yesterday but it was criticised for not looking beyond the end of April.The UK Government's routemap out of lockdown for England claimed all social restrictions could end as early as June 21.But Sturgeon said she would be “making it up” if she gave a specific date for the end of coronavirus restrictions.Speaking at the coronavirus briefing in Edinburgh on Wednesday, the SNP leader questioned Johnson's June 21 date.“If I was to give you a fixed, hard and fast date

could be back in class by March 15 with high schools fully open by April 5.But opposition MSPs and business leaders criticised today's document for lacking detail.Speaking to MSPs, Sturgeon said lockdown would ease in phases - separated by intervals of at least three weeks - culminating in the removal of the stay at home order on April 5.Scotland will move back to a regional system of restrictions by the end of that month.The rest of primary school years, as well as more senior phase pupils in

Scotland's route map out of lockdown will be revealed today as Nicola Sturgeon outlines when and how restrictions will be lifted.It follow Boris Johnson's lockdown announcement, with England's measures set out in a four-step exit strategy which will begin on March 8 and covers everything from socialising to hairdressers.Scotland's mainland has been in a full-blown lockdown for more than a month now, with non-essential shops, bars, pubs and cafes shut in a bid to curb soaring cases.The First

First Minister’s route map is expected to more cautious than Johnson’s when she confirms what order and how quickly rules will be lifted. In an optimistic statement at Westminster yesterday, the Prime Minister claimed lockdown could effectively be over in England by June 21 at the earliest.

"route map" is published.